2013 Kia Optima Total Car Score Analysis

The 2013 Kia Optima earns an above average Total Car Score for the Midsize Sedans & Wagons segment.  
 
Kia breathed new life into its Optima sedan three years ago with a complete redesign, adding some much-needed style and a dash of driving fun to what had been a fairly bland midsize sedan. For 2013 the Korean automaker has combined several of the Optima’s high-end option packages to create a new trim level, called Limited.  
 
For a base MSRP of $34,500, buyers get an Optima fully dressed with chrome 18-inch wheels, red brake calipers, Nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and electronic amenities that include surround-sound, navigation and a rear-view camera.  
 
Of course, Kia hasn’t forgotten the buyer with a more modest budget and has priced its base LX sedan in the low $20,000s. Given the LX’s level of equipment – including Bluetooth, alloy wheels and a healthy audio system – the Optima LX is a great value.  
 
Kia's Optima has also earned accolades for safety, including a five-star crash-test rating from the NHTSA.  
 
Since the 2013 Kia Optima is three years into its current generation, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a sheetmetal freshening in the next year or two.

2013 Kia Optima Model Line-Up

The 2013 Kia Optima is a four-door five-passenger sedan available with a choice of two engines and in four trim levels.  
 
Optima LX and EX models are equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 200 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, while SX and Limited versions are fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 that makes 274 hp and 269 lb-ft. Both engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions that drive the front wheels.  
 
The base Optima LX is equipped with standard features that include 16-inch alloy wheels, power windows and door locks, cloth upholstery, manual air conditioning, a tilt/telescope steering column, and an AM/FM/CD/MP3/satellite audio system with auxiliary/USB input jacks and Bluetooth connectivity.  
 
Optima EX models add 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, an eight-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear air conditioning and a Smart Key with push-button start.  
 
SX models are the sporty versions, with 18-inch alloy wheels, HID headlamps, LED taillights, a rear-deck spoiler and sport seat trim; while the Limited model is the deluxe edition, fitted with chrome 18-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, voice-command navigation, a backup camera, Nappa leather seat trim and an Infinity surround-sound audio system with eight speakers.  
 
The EPA has rated the 2013 Kia Optima’s fuel economy at 24 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined with the 2.4-liter engine, 22/34/26 mpg with the turbocharged engine.

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